I had my RAV round at my local dealer the other day and was invited to look at the new GT86.

After some serious discussion and tyre kicking I think Aftersales Manager, Richard McKay noticed my green complection and invited me out for a ride. Now look, I'm built for comfort not for speed and I tend not to get very excited about these things but this car shocked me. Firstly, I don't take well to sports seats as they make feel hemmed in. These seats were very comfortable and I could have sat in them for a long journey. Next, the ride. Its hard to describe really. Its a blend of being firm enough for sports car handling but compliant enough to soak up the cobbles street outside the dealership - bizaar! Finally the sound (I refrain from calling it noise). This thing driven "normally" is quiet, as quiet as most saloon cars. When opened up it has the growl of a souped up six cylinder rather than the misfire throb of a boy racer Subaru.

Out on the road and in Richard's very capable hands.......... lets just say it is very exciting and to coin an old TV cleche, you just can't help but grin.

All I would say is this. If you like the thought of a sports car but prefer the economy and comfort of a saloon car then go and have a ride in one of these because you will be surprised. I've ridden in Mazda MX5s and Porsches and they are crude and harsh by comparison. This is not just a comfortable and economical car but in the hands of a good driver, a stunning sports car. The biggest surprise for me was that you could buy it for around £25k.

For those of you that have ordered one, you are going to be quite pleased.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Very nice! I'm turning green myself. How was the interior? Cheap plastics, upscale, or plush? Doesn't look very "Toyota" under the hood, does it? The alternator, a/c compressor and oil filter are certainly easy to get to. I may have to visit my local Toyota/Scion dealer.

TBH I didn't ask but I wouldn't have done what Richard did so was quite happy (read into that what you wish!!!).

Very nice! I'm turning green myself. How was the interior? Cheap plastics, upscale, or plush? Doesn't look very "Toyota" under the hood, does it? The alternator, a/c compressor and oil filter are certainly easy to get to. I may have to visit my local Toyota/Scion dealer.

Will they sell it in the US James? The engine bay was very open and accessible and at the front it sounded no louder than a Yaris idling. Around the back there is just a deep burbling sound - take notice boy racers, no silly big bore exhausts and still proper sporty! I nearly threw the bonnet across the car park because I was expecting the same weight as the RAV but it is alloy which reduces the weight. The interior was surprisingly plush from a comfort/noise point of view but I didn't study it in huge detail.

Looks good ....and also available with "Auto" option

And slightly cheaper than the manual! I guess the gearbox has been beefed up to cope with the torque.

I went to he launch night at RRG on Wednesday. They had a black one with silver stripes and it stole the show. There were 4 models being launched. Yaris hybrid, Prius plug-in, Prius 7 seater and the GT86. Nearly everybody was stood in the GT86 corner! With regard to the interior, it was stitched leather on the seats and dash with a carbon fibre (effect?) facia. It all looked very nice to me. Richard was busy taking punters for a ride out in his red one. I like my RAV from a practical point of view but I would have a GT86 as a toy if I could afford it. Every magazine is raving about it. It's so nice to see Toyota on the rostrum again.

Link to post

Share on other sites

On the Toyota website it lists the automatic with better fuel economy and lower emissions?

I was always under the impression autos were worse on fuel due to the gearbox wasting energy to change the gears?

Usually you would be right, but this is also the case with the Yaris. It's because Toyota use a newly revised CVT Automatic Gearbox. The Gearbox regulates itself to find the best ratio for acceleration, maintainence of speed and economy combination. I thought it was a typing error when I first saw it in the Yaris brochure, but it is in fact more economical. Strange I know :)

Toyota have plans to withdraw from manual transmissions altogether at some stage. Like manual chokes they rely on the weak link (human) to ensure that car achieves the lowest emmissions. The auto box ensures waste is minimised and it will become obligatory in time.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Oh *****... That'd be fine on an electric vehicle, but not on anything with a non-linear torque curve. No automatic is as good as a human for pre-selecting gears in anticipation of impending situations.

Safe driving isn't always about fuel efficiency!

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Oh *****... That'd be fine on an electric vehicle, but not on anything with a non-linear torque curve. No automatic is as good as a human for pre-selecting gears in anticipation of impending situations.

Safe driving isn't always about fuel efficiency!

Sadly it has nothing to do with safety or what customers want, its all about what the EU dictate in terms of fuel efficiency and emissions standards for manufacturers, diesel will be dropped in the same way in the future

Oh *****... That'd be fine on an electric vehicle, but not on anything with a non-linear torque curve. No automatic is as good as a human for pre-selecting gears in anticipation of impending situations.

Safe driving isn't always about fuel efficiency!

Sadly it has nothing to do with safety or what customers want, its all about what the EU dictate in terms of fuel efficiency and emissions standards for manufacturers, diesel will be dropped in the same way in the future

Kingo

Richard at RRG knows you well Kingo!

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Yes he does indeed Don, we have consumed the odd foaming brown peevo together :beer: Ask him about the apprentice of the year competition where we nearly drowned (well I did anyhoo) I have the photo's somewhere to prove it!